#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
size_t n,count=0;
cin>>n;
for(int direction=0,prev=0,curr;(n--)&&(cin>>curr);prev=curr)
{
if((prev!=curr)&&(direction!=(prev<curr)))
{
++count;
direction=1-direction;
}
}
cout<<count;
return 0;
}
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